Anyone want to talk about performance street / track brake pads?

[Ron3]

I'm having a hard time finding current reviews of various brake pads.

Technology changes and it doesn't help reading reviews of brake pads from ten years ago.

I'm looking for brake pads for a @3400 lb RWD IRS car with four-piston Brembo's. I live in Florida so cold weather performance isn't an issue. It's usually stupid hot and brakes are used heavily daily. I can handle some squealing when brakes are cold but I wouldn't like it constantly. Don't care about brake dust. Do care about rotor life. (somewhat) Pad wear not a big deal as long as they aren't too expensive.

I want to get back to some open tracking so it's time to do brake work.

Unfortunately, brake ducts aren't available for this car so thats not happening. :(

I need to choose a fluid, decide if I should bother with stainless braided hoses, and choose front pads.

The rotors I have are fine and smooth-style. The rear disc brakes probably need to be changed and I was planning on just using OE-type rotors and pads. (I have not inspected them yet)

Whats a good pad these days?

[El Vaquero]

It’s been a little bit for me since I’ve researched pads but a few years back when I would autocross I used Porterfield R4-S. Is a composite pad I believe. Worked great and had good life.

[Lincoln7]

It’s been a little bit for me since I’ve researched pads but a few years back when I would autocross I used Porterfield R4-S. Is a composite pad I believe. Worked great and had good life.

I'm running the same R4-S on my 240z for street, autocross, and HPDEs and they have been performing well in all three situations.

[63Qcode]

Ron , FWIW , I did HPD events ( VIR ) and also run the car on the street .... 482 FE Cobra replica. I don`t know about your car , but I always found that pads that could be run on the street and track didn`t do either outstanding , but then my car weighs about 2693 lbs with me in it and a full fuel load and you`re at 3400 lbs . I`m going to try the Carbotech race pads for my next track day , and currently run their performance pads on the street . It takes me only several hours to change pads , and the Carbotech pads seem to be more rotor friendly that a lot of the other race only pads I`ve used . Also , because the base material in the pads is basically the same across the board , when you change from street to race , the rotor prep is really easy .
I`m also currently running the Carbotech in my F150 . I`ve also used Hawk pads with good results .... you might check them out .

If interested , I have a rotor prep procedure that a friend of mine who worked for the Roush team gave me that he used when changing pads .

[Ron3]

Thanks. I forgot to mention I'll be on 245 /40 Y-rated summer tires with 400 treadwear.

I have used Hawk HPS and HPS+. The former weren't bad but didnt last long at all. Turned to dust quickly. The latter were just as dusty and way to loud on the street. I felt they squealed like a race pad but didn't perform like one.

I've been thinking about EBC Blue's.

I'll be using the Motul 600 brake fluid. When I flush the brakes I'll get a good look at every rotor and pad.

If they are all in excellent shape (and they might be from what I can tell from the outside) I'm tempted to just run them.

They are a Napa or Duralast Gold semi-metallic. I forget which. They might work okay for one track day if I take it easy on them.

[63Qcode]

Ron3 , I go a little overboard on my brakes ..... VIR backstraight is 5200 ft long and I`m in the upper 120 to low 130 mph range and the turn at the end of the straight is about a 25 to 30 mph downhill turn .
I also flush my whole hydraulic system before every event .... fluid I use is ATE Type 200 , DOT 4 and never had any temp problems , Motul 600 is a also very good fluid . VIR ambients can be in the low to mid 90`s for track days . A pressure bleeder also makes bleeding/flushing a snap .

I also run solid rotors , standard GM front and rear and never had any issues . If you`re running consistently at the limit , then you should probably upgrade your rotors , but I think you`ll find your tires will be the limiting factor on braking . I like my pads to have a medium initial bite and then I can modulate from there . My tires are either Avon racing radials with a treadwear rating of a little over 200 or maybe Hoosier R Series racing slicks for next year ..... 235 on front and 295 on rear .

I just went out to the garage and found a set of Hawk pads I took off and my notes say .... too noisy and dirty for the street , just like you .

The biggest thing about pads is that they absolutely must be bedded in per the manufacture`s directions . I didn`t on some Wilwood pads and glazed the rear pads on the first lap .

The thing about my brake/pad combo I found is to use them hard and then get off them so they can cool down before the next turn .

Anyway , have fun tracking !!

[Ron3]

Ron3 , I go a little overboard on my brakes ..... VIR backstraight is 5200 ft long and I`m in the upper 120 to low 130 mph range and the turn at the end of the straight is about a 25 to 30 mph downhill turn .
I also flush my whole hydraulic system before every event .... fluid I use is ATE Type 200 , DOT 4 and never had any temp problems , Motul 600 is a also very good fluid . VIR ambients can be in the low to mid 90`s for track days . A pressure bleeder also makes bleeding/flushing a snap .

I also run solid rotors , standard GM front and rear and never had any issues . If you`re running consistently at the limit , then you should probably upgrade your rotors , but I think you`ll find your tires will be the limiting factor on braking . I like my pads to have a medium initial bite and then I can modulate from there . My tires are either Avon racing radials with a treadwear rating of a little over 200 or maybe Hoosier R Series racing slicks for next year ..... 235 on front and 295 on rear .

I just went out to the garage and found a set of Hawk pads I took off and my notes say .... too noisy and dirty for the street , just like you .

The biggest thing about pads is that they absolutely must be bedded in per the manufacture`s directions . I didn`t on some Wilwood pads and glazed the rear pads on the first lap .

The thing about my brake/pad combo I found is to use them hard and then get off them so they can cool down before the next turn .

Anyway , have fun tracking !!

Thanks.

I have a habit of trail braking. I'm going to do some research on that. The next track I'm going on is new to me so I haven't even been on those turns. (The FIRM, in Starke, FL)

From watching videos it appears the speeds won't be that high. Briefly about 100 mph it's looking like. It doesn't seem to be extra demanding on brakes from what I can tell. If my pads have plenty of material (75% or more front, 50% or more rear) I'll just put in the fresh Motul fluid, fresh engine oil and filter, new plugs, and perhaps a can of octane booster to lessen the occasional detonation I heard mid-summer.

[Nightstalker865]

Hawk DTC-60’s and Motul RBF600 should fit the bill for your needs.




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[JediGuy]

Others mentioned Motul 600.

I had been eyeballing different levels of G-LOC pads. That’s what I had planned for my S197 Mustang, though I just sold off the Brembo’s I had. Vorshlag-Store.com was my source.

[63Qcode]

Still on the pad issue , and this applies to all pads . Get some heat in them on the opening/pace lap before hammering them , they will be so much more consistent and not as squirrelly on the first hard application ( found that out the hard way ) .

Another thing that helps a lot is to set your corner weights on your car ..... you did say you had IRS , maybe you have coilovers on all four corners like I do ??? If you don`t have access to a set of scales , then you can set the chassis ride heights so the front is equal side to side . I do all my suspension settings with my body weight in the driver`s seat and 1/2 tank of fuel .... sandbags for the pool from Home Depot are about 45 to 50 lbs . Equal weight on both front wheels helps eliminate darting on hard braking .
I don`t know how in depth you want to go , but as I said , I get carried away and do things like make sure the rear suspension is square to the front etc .

But sounds like you are going in the right direction on your fluids and pads ........ have fun !

BTW , if you`re up for a road trip , the SVT Cobra Mustang club puts on a 3 day HPD event at VIR I think sometime in April ...... if you do all 3 days , you can get close to 300 track miles in .

One year , they were trying to get Larry Vickers to do a handgun class one day , but , unfortunately , VIR didn`t agree .

[glocktogo]

Afraid my experience is dated too. I was running slotted Frozen Rotors, stainless lines and Motul 600. I preferred the EBC Red Stuff pads over the Hawk HPS. Less dust, less chatter, better life and equal stopping power in my experience. I was doing more performance street driving than track though, so YMMV. This was an '03 WRX btw.